Notes on a Scandal
by NikkyB
Summary: Ten friends who came to be because of a shared passion; music. Their talent led them to success that they didn't even know they wanted. And because the good life came crashing down upon them, they need to learn to rebuilt and start anew.


**Hello wonderful fan-fiction world! I'm so incredibly excited to get this story up and running. It's been in my thoughts for quite some time and I finally just got that nudge that made me pick up a pen and start righting. This story is going to be in a few parts so bear with me. It's also going to be longer per chapter, I just needed to get this initial chapter out there. There will be many music references and I just want to disclaimer that now; the songs and artists mentioned in this story do not belong to me nor do the characters (might as well get that out of the way as well.) I don't own Oprah…who makes an appearance in this chapter loll. AND I know notes of a scandal is the title of a movie but it was too perfect for me not to use. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy! Oh and most of it will be told in Bella's POV for now. I might change my mind, we'll see loll.**

Disclaimer: posted above

**Notes on a Scandal**

Chapter 1: Prologue

Bella POV

Do you ever feel…like a plastic bag…drifting through the wind…wanting to start again? No, I'm totally kidding. I don't know why Katy Perry is deciding to make an appearance in my mind right now. This is most definitely not the time for "Fireworks."

I'm on the top floor of the famous Norton Hotel, in Seattle Washington, being escorted to one of those obnoxiously large suites that I've actually come to be quite familiar with. My bodyguard Felix, the coolest dude in the world, is walking to my left. Big, burly, black dude that I met when I was like, fourteen. Could intimidate a serial killer but couldn't really hurt a fly…unless you made him beat you up…then he could and would and should. Some rep from the television network is walking to the right. He's kind of creeping me out with weird glasses and a mustache and suit that made him look right out of the 60s.

Why am I here? I wish I could tell you. I don't know why I agreed to this or why any of us agreed to this. I was probably brainwashed…story of my life. Today is my turn to give my side of the story to millions of viewers worldwide. Well, today is my first day. I'm supposed to be giving interviews, plural, to the one, the only, Oprah Winfrey.

I don't know how I got here. I don't know how my life got me to this point. It's kind of ridiculous when I think about it. How did awkward, shy, Bella, get dragged into this lifestyle. Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll right? How did things get so ridiculously out of control?

I was nervous. I was more than nervous. I'm already a nervous person and I'm about to lose my grip. It's too quiet…the sound of my heartbeat along with the melodic tapping that comes with each of my steps against the shaggy carpet is all I hear.

"Miss Swan?" I looked up to my right to see Mr. TV Exec look back at me. "Right through here," he said as he pulled out a key card and held open the door for me. I looked back at Felix and he nudged me forward. "Thanks," I said and walked my way through.

I tentatively walk through the elaborate foyer, decked out in marble and flower arrangements, and make my way into what seems to be the living area. The room was tense and quiet. Sitting near the doorway was a woman who signaled me to stay quiet. Lights, Cameras, crew, Oprah, and Edward graced me. Oh, Edward. Whatever will I do with that bronze haired beauty? I looked on as he caught my eye for a moment before looking back at Oprah as she called, "cut!"

"Wonderful Edward! Thank you for your cooperation. We'll continue with you tomorrow yes?" she asked reaching out to shake his hand. "Absolutely," he responded looking at me once again as he shook her hand. Oprah looked in the direction he was facing and caught my eye as well.

"Ah! Bella!" she said standing up and making her way towards me. She reached out her hand and I took it in a handshake. "Nice to finally meet you. Ready to begin?"

"Um...actually," we both looked up to Edward. "Do you mind if I speak to her for a moment?" The crew-members all looked up at this as if it were ridiculous to want a moment in private.

"Of course," she said with a genuine smile. "I need my make up touched up anyway. I'll see you in five," she said and walked out.

Edward looked at me, then around the room, noticing the crew-members that were still present. "Follow me," he said and walked us through the room and towards a balcony area. He held the door open for me and I stepped outside, taking a deep breath, absorbing the warmth. I turned back to look at him and saw he had taken a seat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"You mind?" he asked, waving it in the air. Under normal circumstances I would have pestered him about the disgusting habit, but with all that was going on, I shook my head no. He quickly took one out and lit it as I took a seat opposite him.

He took his first puff and sat back regarding me and I looked back noticing the way his hair was redder then usual as it caught the light. Wanting to break the silence I asked, "How was it?" He took a deep breath and then another drag before looking at me with sad eyes and replying, "Not fun."

I looked down and could not stop the tapping of my finger and the shaking of my foot. I couldn't contain my anxiety.

"Hey," his voice broke me out of my thoughts. I looked up and was met with a pair of green eyes filled with sadness. "If it gets to be too much, even for one second, call it off. I'll stay if you'd like."

With my elbows on my thighs, I bent forward and held by head in my hands, running my hands through my hair. I took a deep breath and looked up. "No," I said shaking my head. "I need to do this myself."

He nodded his head throwing the cigarette butt on the floor and crushing it under his foot. "Okay," he said when we heard a tap on the door. We looked up to see Felix stick his head outside. "Bella, they're calling for you."

"Thanks Felix," I said with a sad smile. I turned to see him stand up. I stood up as well, my hands in my pockets, and walked over to him. He looked to be in deep thought and I squinted my eyes to look up at him. At 6'0 he was towering over my 5'4 frame and the sun wasn't helping. "I want to make sure you're okay," he said.

"I will be," I said, not really sure if I believed it myself. "And you remember what you should and shouldn't say?" he asks. "Yes, Edward," I reply with a roll of my eyes, "I was there too, I know what I can and can't say."

He nodded his head and leaned down when I turned my head away with an almost unnoticeable shake of my head, nodding my head to the crew waiting inside. He nodded his head and took a step back with hurt eyes. "Soon," he said and walked away leaving the door open.

I looked off into the Seattle skyline, just trying to hang on to any moment of silence and peace that I could get. "Miss Swan," I heard from behind me. I turned to see creepy 70s dude. "If you're ready…?" he asks.

With one final sigh, I return to the suite. Upon my entrance, three crew-members grab and pull me to my seat, where Edward was sitting mere minutes ago. I'm vaguely aware of powder being dusted onto my face and a comb running through my hair as Oprah sits opposite me. She reaches out for my hand and squeezes it in her own.

"Are you ready Bella?" she asks.

"As ready as I can be," I reply honestly. I don't know how one could ever be ready to have a public therapy session that one doesn't even want, but c'est la vie. "And you've been briefed?" she asks. I nod my head in response remembering the countless hours that the crew and me had been briefed on exactly how this whole thing would go down.

"Good," she replies with a smile as the crew-members scoot off into the background she fixes her jacket. "If you're ready Oprah we can begin," calls a crew-member. "Wonderful," she says. The room's lights turn off and then a spotlight turns on directed at Oprah and myself. Way to make this feel like an interrogation. The guy starts his five second countdown and…

"Thank you for sitting with us Bella," Oprah says with the television persona.

"Thank you for having me Oprah," I reply as I'm told I should.

"Now there is a lot of ground to cover obviously, so let's start at the beginning yes?" she says with a nod of her head. "Before we go into the details, briefly, can you tell us how you and your group of friends, all incredibly gifted, _gifted_, people, found each other and came to be. I'm so fascinated by your story."

Wow, way to start off easy. I look down and shake my head taking a deep breath. "I wish I knew," I said. "Have you ever felt like things just happen because they're _supposed_ to be that way? I mean it's something I've thought about a lot. By what twist of fate did we all happen to meet. And how have we pulled off what we've pulled off you know?"

"Absolutely," she says looking at me with intense interest. "And the level of success you've reached, I mean I've seen people screaming and crying as a reaction of seeing one of the ten of you."

"I know, I know," I say running my hand through my hair. "It's crazy because we were never looking for fame, or fortune, or anything really. We were just a group of friends who were having fun hanging out and sharing a common interest in music and next thing you know…"

"…Next thing you know," she repeats nodding her head. " So take us back," she says motioning her arms to emphasize her statement. In your perspective how did Twilight, Eclipse, and New Moon come to be?"

I look her straight in the eye as she looks at me waiting for my response. I quickly look to my right, seeing all the crew-members, which apart from doing their jobs also seem quite fascinated with what I will say. I look back at her and sit back in my seat keeping eye contact.

"Well…"

**A/N:** Soooo…Questions? Comments? Any true-life stories of adventure? Information will be uncovered as the story progresses…I wanted this to be kind of cryptic lolll. Let me know what you think!


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